The present invention relates to a parts tray conveying system, and more particularly to a parts tray conveying system suitable for use with an automatic assembly system employing a robot, wherein a plurality of parts trays each containing parts are supplied to a predetermined position.
In carrying out an assembly operation by using an automatic machine such as an assembly robot, parts to be employed for the assembly operation need to be preliminarily supplied to a predetermined position. An apparatus for supplying the parts is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 63-306108, for example. In the conventional parts supply apparatus, the parts are preliminarily accommodated in a tray, and a plurality of trays containing the parts are supplied to a predetermined position. The robot open rates to pick up the parts one by one from each tray and carry out the automatic assembly operation.
However, such a parts supply apparatus has a shortcoming such that the trays containing the parts are preliminarily separated from each other at intervals in a tray box, so that a large space is necessary in the parts supply apparatus. Accordingly, the parts supply apparatus becomes large in size